MODESTO BEE (California) 22 July 04 Man Bit By Rattlesnake, Dies
A Mariposa man died Monday night at John C. Fremont Hospital after he was bitten by a large rattlesnake that he was attempting to remove from his yard, Mariposa County Assistant Coroner Gail Sgambellone said.
Alfred Blaine Laing, 46, used a shovel to corral the snake, but it escaped the shovel and bit him on the web of his left hand, between the thumb and the first finger, said Sgambellone. Laing walked about 6 feet before collapsing, she said. Laing was pronounced dead at 9:55 p.m.
Officials performed an autopsy Wednesday, but were unable to determine an exact cause of death pending toxicology and tissue sample screenings, Sgambellone said. Laing was not known to suffer from any previous health conditions, she said.
Man Bit By Rattlesnake, Dies